


Justice League Fault

by DontAskWhy



Series: Horror-Porn [1]
Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), Injustice: Gods Among Us, Junji Ito: The Enigma Amigara Fault
Genre: Angst, Body Horror Hinted At, Fate Worse Than Death, Halloween, Horror, M/M, Supernatural Elements, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-25 00:41:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20715236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DontAskWhy/pseuds/DontAskWhy
Summary: An earthquake, completely natural at this point. But the things it revealed when it hit... Completely unholy.





	1. The Fault

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first story of Junji Ito and I loved it! Had to make a SuperBat version of it.
> 
> _'Words'_=telepathic talking  
____Words____=past

The Watch Tower was on high alert; an earthquake occurred and several towns and villages were destroyed in the natural disaster. But that's not the main reason over half the Justice League was in H. Prefecture. Not long after the earthquake, a large Fault was discovered near the Epicenter, on the north slope of Amigara Mountain. It was deep and several kilometers long. Though what made it the focus of our heros to investigate it, was the fact it had thousands of human shaped holes covering all of the smooth surface.

The last Javelin arrived just a few minutes ago, with the founding members, along with a few tagalongs, walked out of the air ship and made their way to the researchers currently running a cable into one of the holes. “Even with our 30-meter fiber scope, we couldn't find the end. It seemed to me it curves off inside the mountain. It's possible this could be a natural formation. Someone must have dug them out from inside. Though I'm not sure how anyone back then could have dig this shape out of such solid rock. Though if there was an entrance it has most likely sealed up with the accumulation of soil over the years as we can't find it. Possibly the same forces that covered up these holes in the first place.”

Superman nodded politely as he looked back at the holes, despite his supervision, he couldn't see anything beyond 20 meters. Perhaps ores of lead throughout the mountain. But that didn't explain the silence. Not even an echo of the wind from inside. He did his best to hide the shiver that went through his entire body. He turned to Doctor Fate who was facing the Fault, “Anything?”

“That’s the thing Superman, I feel nothing from it, and yet… everything.”

Barry let out a puff of air, “And what exactly does that mean?”

“I… can't say in a way for you to understand. I can hardly comprehend it myself.”

The Man of Steel turns to Hal, "What does the ring tell you?”

Jordan's nose was scrunched up as he kept glancing at Kal and the ring. “I've got no clue, my rings been freaking out ever since we arrived.” Shaking his fist after he finished.

“And I can't see or hear a thing. Rao. Does anyone have any theories?” Clark looked at everyone until his eyes landed on Batman standing next to Etrigan; the demon’s own focus solely narrowed on Batman. Batman seemed_ stilled. As if he was having an out of body experience. To the others he was just being his usual, silent grumpy self, but Clark could see past the cowl_ Bruce's eyes were wide and wild while the pupils were dilated to pebbles, and Superman could hear his usually rhythmic heartbeat now thundering to the beat of terror. “B-Batman?” He tried to stay neutral, not exactly successful. “Etrigan, any ideas?”

The Demon looked at Superman, “Magic like this is unable to have an explanation, but I can manage to sense a singular declaration.”

“Which is?” Aurthor gripped his trident.

“A sinister desire most foul,” his head turned slightly to Batman as the mortal continued to watch the wall with unyielding focus, “human flesh for it's jowls.”

“What the Hell are you saying?” Hawkgirl demanded.

Batman took a steady breath then finally turns to the others, “He's saying that these holes are going to start claiming lives if we don't act now.”

The woman with large wings placed her hands on her hips, “That's ridiculous! How would a simple rock formation poss-”

“Hey! Someone went into one of the holes!”

The leaders turned to the panic and rushed over just in time to spot a person disappearing into the carve out. Green Lantern tried to reach in with his ring’s construction, but he couldn't get a grip on the guy, apparently the man stripped down to his skivies to go in. “Can't you break through and get him?” Someone shouted.

“If we tried that, we could bring the whole thing crashing down around him! Damn it!” Hal cussed out.

A young man and woman stepped up to the heroes, “He said it was his hole.”

The heroes turned to them, but Batman still faced where the man vanished. “What do you mean?”

The woman stared at the human tunnel. “It matched him exactly.” She whispered grimly. “It was his hole.”

The man tried to comfort her when Superman flew up to them, “Don't worry, we'll find a way to save him.” Not knowing what else to say as a response. The couple turned away, so the researchers and the League started plans to try and help the poor fella out.

Twenty four hours later and still no sight of the man, then more civilians started finding their holes, unclothing themselves, and disappearing into them. None have come back out. Superman was communicating with some of the Core Seven and volunteers when he looked over at the Bat and the Demon, seeing them speaking to each other. Once upon a time, he would have flown over and asked what they were discussing, most likely getting only silence. But now, he listened in as he hovered near the rescue team. “-can feel it.”

“What feelings have you fought, that leave even the Bat overwrought?”

“Like that woman from yesterday said. I haven't found it yet, but I just know… one of these holes is mine, Etrigan.”

Clark’s stomach dropped, he didn't really need to breath so it was ok if he stopped for a minute or two, right? He looks fully to the bat dressed man, and suddenly a memory flashes in his head____

_In the distance, a clown laughs his mind away, the wire bones of buildings lay dormant as fire and smoke eats at anything it can climb. His wife, without a heartbeat, slumped against his arms with a no longer growing child inside her. His cries echoing over the cursed land for miles and miles without an answer. Then a gentle hold on his shoulder; he looks up..._

____But instead of the pointy ears and white lenses, he sees black flowing hair and a gold tiara, “Kal!”

“Oh, um. Wh-what is it, Wonder Woman?”

“Dude,” he turns to Flash, “We've been trying to talk to you for like five minutes.”

“What about?”

“We've set up teams around the perimeter like Batman suggested, but some of our own people are getting restless.”

Superman looks over to the Martian, “What do you mean?”

“Batman asked me to monitor the Leaguers minds. I've been sensing these urges that civilians talk about in their heads.” _‘Batman is having them too,’_ J'onzz continued in Kal's head. _́He's getting worse and is slowly starting to crumble.’_ “-and send everyone that feels this calling as far away from here as possible.”

“To the Watch Tower.” Superman jumps a little at Batman's voice, “Once there, put all their cards on suspension and keep the personal that haven't gone down here keeping a close eye on all of them. Under no circumstances are they allowed to leave the Tower until this crisis is over.” Then leaves with a wipe of his cape and Etrigan close behind. Clark watches him go, his hands trembling behind his back as his bones quivered with unease. Shaking his head, he went to work on sending the people J'onzz directs him to, to the Tower, all the while listening in on Bruce’s sporadic heartbeat.


	2. The Bat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deep feelings are brought fourth, the will to survive is being eaten away by an unknown source. What will Superman do to keep the only thing he has left in this world?... What has he done, already?

Night falls, the ones that could fly through space had to be sedated as they were fighting other heroes just to send themselves through. Being a founding member, Batman had to look strong and capable. Not appearing much different from his usual self if you don't see as hard as Superman. Fidgeting, clenching his fists, breathing harshly, ‘Hopefully,’ Superman thought, ‘Etrigan’s been keeping him away from that Fault. I hope he hasn't found... _his_ yet.”

An hour passes. Everyone begining new rounds at the Fault; ones that can fly circle over head, looking for anyone that gets too close to them.

Two capes stripped and vanished into the holes since the new watch rotations began. Superman bit his tongue from saying, _“There will be time to mourn once this is over.”_ The boy scout isn't supposed to say things like that. Instead went with, “We'll pull them out soon.” Though he didn't believe such in hope, not anymore. And knows, whatever force that's in there, it's trying to make him relieve his pain. Since he first found out, he's been monitoring Bruce's heartbeat nonstop. It hasn't calmed down since they arrived, and he's been using his supervision whenever it escalated, even the slightest. He followed the heart beat, flying smoothly at first, then a little faster when he realized Batman was standing just a few steps from the Fault.

Superman floated down to a shaking, cowless Batman being held by Etrigan as the human struggled against the demon. The Man of Steel looked in front of them and his eyes widen with horror. A silhouette of a man, well built and soft but ragged hair. It was the exact shape of Bruce Wayne. “You can continue the fight! You are the notorious Dark Knight!” The Demon almost violently shook Bruce.

Superman stayed where he was, fearing Wayne would jump right in if he so much as flinched. After a few stressful breaths, Bruce’s shaking stopped and he nodded solemnly. Etrigan released him hesitantly, staying sharp on him. Clark spotted the cowl, ripped and tattered at his feet. He picked it up and offered it back to Bruce. The billionaire winced at the sight of it before taking it and putting it back on.

“I… I need to go-”

“Home. With me as your warden.” Bruce looked like he wanted to say something against it, but after a thoughtful moment he nodded.

He went into one of his pouches to take out a lead box, “Keep this safe until-” stares at his hole with dread, “-this ends.”

The Demon nods, taking the offering, then turns to Superman, “If the Bat leaves your sight for but a moment, we would be one short our favorite flying rodent.”

He hugs Bruce a little too tight to his body, “Tell the others the Joker’s been sighted and I had to fly us there fast.”

He didn't wait for an answer. He couldn't. Not with that hole staring at them. The icy winds bite at his face though he couldn't feel it, Bruce would've if Clark didn't have his face pressed to his chest. ‘Keep him close. He can't go in that hole if I have him close.’

No one was home when they arrived, Alfred had sick relatives overseas and the rest of the Batfam were either in their own cities or on portal in Gotham. He floated them steadily into the cave, setting Batman down and almost lasered all the bat-transportations there into puddles of metal. Bruce, with noodle arms, took off his cowl and let it drop to the floor, the sound of leather hitting stone echoing through the vast cave. And there he stood in front of Superman, not moving, slack in his limbs and neck until- “I'm sorry.”

“Bruce?”

“I couldn't save my parents." The sentence fell out of the Bat, freezing the Man of Steel. "I couldn't save Jason and I couldn't save Lois. It's all my fault. I should have died instead. I should have died in that alleyway.” Stumbling over the last words, crying to Superman's chest. “I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.” Sorrowful crystals leaked from his soul's windows as he leaned his forehead against Clark's ‘S' symbol.

Superman stood, stunned. Looking at his friend, his hands hesitating over his back. How long did he wallow in his own self pity while Bruce was drowning in his? And why was this coming out now?- Bruce's silhouette carved into that rock flashed through his head... He wrapped his arms around Bruce, caging him in. 'That place. It had to be. Whether it was making him feel this way, or bringing his pain into the open, or even something more dastardly.' He placed his right hand in Bruce's hair, feeling those soft locks graze past his indestructible skin. “None of those things were your fault, B. You were just a child when that night happened, Joker killed Jason,” Clark cupped Bruce's chin and lifted it slowly until they met eye to teary eye. “And Joker is to blame for what happened to her not you. If you did die instead, the world would turn just as dim. Your life is just as precious as hers.” Before he could stop himself Clark kissed the billionaire, surprising them both. After an awkward second of pressing their lips together, Bruce moaned into the warmth, closing his eyes and wrapping his arms around the reporter’s neck. Clark clung to his life line as he flew them both to Bruce's bedroom.

Clark woke suddenly. They were lying naked under silk sheets and the softest mattress he's ever slept on. The night was still young as he realized what rose him. Bruce was trying desperately to claw at his unscathed arms that locked around the Bat's waist, kicking and squirming as well. “Bruce,” he asked, fear evident in his voice, “What are you doing?”

“I… need to be in… my hole.” After a moment, Bruce slacked, defeated, letting his arms give up the fight. “I have to go in it. It won't let me escape. They dug that hole for me! It's been waiting for me to enter. All this time. And when I go in… I'll die inside that hole! I have to go in! I have to go in! I have to-” Clark couldn't take it, remembering the neck trick Bruce taught him, he put Bruce straight back to sleep. Clark watched as the man's chest lifted up and down like calm ripples in a small pond. Clark played with that soft raven hair, enjoying the way it settled in place whenever he pushed it.____

_ “Clark.”_

_The man in blue and red looked up at his friend with reviving hope, “Bruce…”_

_The Bat kneeled down to eye level with the super human, “I'm... there's nothing I can say that would make this better. But… I'm here for you. You won't suffer this alone.” The flames damned in his lenses and he hugged the Man of Steel. Brokenly, Clark hugged the Dark Knight back. Crying softly into his shoulder, the world slowly melting away from Superman's scenes until all that was left was him and Bruce_____

Stopping suddenly as if time froze, his fist suddenly clenched tight enough to draw blood. He suspersped his Superman suit on and, with one last longful look to a sleeping Bruce, flew a safe distant away before sonic booming back to Amigara Mountain. Scaring the Leaguers once he arrived, one flew up to the great hero, “Supes! Back already? Was it him or a false alarm?” Hal asked him cautiously, both flying high above the Fault. “Hey, where's Spooky- alright! That's okay, just ignore me!”

Superman went past the heroes and vigilantes, they in turn, wisely, staying out of his way. He landed just in front of Bruce's hole. Staring at it accusingly. His whole body tensed at the sight of it and his anger was rising with every breath. Then he spotted it, right above Bruce's hole, to his left, was a buff carve out with puffy hair, complete with a small curl in the center…

Everything drained out of him at once before rage replaced the emptiness. Could hear that insane laugh getting louder from _his_ hole. “Not again!” He spate. He rose high above the Fault, eyes glowing with dangerous blood when he anouced in a booming voice, “Everyone, get out of the way, **now**!” All below start scrambling away. Then with a pained cry, he let his lasers level fifty, a hundred, two-hundred of those holes. Soon enough, the entire mountain side trembled with the fires of Hell, rocks still crashing on themselves as the lasers dissipated.

When he was done, he looked over his handy work. The laughter slowly dying off with the last of the rocks tumbling down.___

_His hand covered in blood, the clown slumped dead within a forest in an enclosed place, buried deep down after the satellites have long since passed on; where the World's Greatest Detective will never find him. Where the Joker can never take anyone else.____

Neither can take Batman away from him now. In the corner of his eye, he caught the founding members that could fly come right beside him, “Kal! Do you realize what you've done?”

“There were people in there, and you just killed them!”

“They were already dead!” Kal retorted, the frown ever present.

“You couldn't know for sure-”

“**No**!” He faced his team with the Devil’s eyes glowing, silencing them in an instant, “But what I do know is that the longer this stayed up, the more lives would have been lost.” He showed them down, daring them to object. ‘Bruce is safe. That's all that matters. His Bruce is safe.’

“Uh, guys?” They turned to Booster Gold as he poked his index fingers together, shivering before the big guy’s stare, “You, um, well, the, uh, holes are, um, still there.”

“WHAT!?” the clown’s laughter was in the distance, once again.

“But-um, they're not exactly people shapes anymore.” Dumbfounded, they all flew to the ragged terrain. Their mouths hung open at the sight. The laughter went silent… all was silent… There were indeed still holes but they weren't shaped like people. They weren't human.

“My God, don't tell me…” the outburst forgotten, as all the members of the Justice League stood stupefied at the inner canyon wall.


	3. The Joke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The threat of lossing Batman is gone... But what of the threat of the furtue?

A groan released Clark from his thoughts, looking back at a still naked Bruce being bathed in bleeding sunlight. Leaning over his chair to caress that handsome face. Bruce's eyes slowly opened, squinting at the sight before him, “Clark?”

“Hey love.”

Bruce's eyes slitted harder, then widened as realization of last night rushed back. “Oh, God.” He buried his face in the marshmallow pillow, “I'm pathetic.”

A small chuckle rumbled the reporter's chest, “You're far from pathetic, B.” Kissing the Dark Knight's unkempt mane.

“Clark…” Wayne rolled his head to face the other man, “What I said, last night-”

“I wish you told me sooner. Please Bruce, you have to tell someone these things. That place, whatever it was, it nearly got you with them. You… I _can't_ lose you, too.” Placing butterfly lips on his lover's, “Ok?”

Bruce looked deep into his eyes with more than a few questions and answers, but turned away with a “Hm.” Which made Clark smile even wider. After a few minutes of Clark petting Bruce's head, Batman's brain started kicking into high gear. “The Fault… why can't I feel it's calling anymore?”

Superman’s grin turned nervous, “Well, I kinda destroyed the mountain.”

That got Batman sitting up, “You what! Did-did you get the people out?”

“No, bu-”

"Clark! You-- you killed innocent people!”

“I had to!” That familiar anger reared its ugly head, “If I didn't, more lives would have been taken! You said so yourself, you don't feel the urge anymore! I saved them, Bruce. I saved you!” Getting on his knees beside the bed, cupping Bat's head between his hands. “You're safe.”

“Cla-”

“No.” His voice dripped with such wrath and somber, it stilled Bruce cold. Kal’s mood immediately changed to something more bleak and lost. “I… I need you, Bruce. I don't-I don't know what I'd do if I lost you, too. Please, just. Let me be selfish with you. Please.”

Crawling on the bed, he held his Knight in his arms, close to his heart. Bruce sat there, frozen. He's seen that look before, but he managed to talk Kal calm. He hoped he wouldn't see or hear it again, but hope is fleeting. And now, all he could do was be a quiet teddy bear, shushing a disturbed child to sleep.  
As for the inside of the Fault, Clark will tell him about that later. Right now, his Bat needs his sleep. He's more than deserved it. He deserves the world. All Bruce had to do was ask, and the powerful Kryptonian will deliver it on a silver platter.

_Two months later._

Hal hovered close by the researchers as they climbed up the other end of the mountain. “Yeah, Booster said he saw something like what was inside the mountain,”

“Perhaps we can find the missing people!” One of the younger rescuers said.

Hal cringed, “Yeah… maybe…”

The older man looked up, “Though these are odd shapes in the rocks.” Everyone looked up while Hal’s gut turned. The shapes were nothing but lanky squiggly shapes that had the vaguest of heads, arms, and legs, but they were stretched and curved into inhuman configurations. Varying in sizes but none were smaller than 10 feet tall. “Are you sure this is the other end of the _human_ holes.”

The younger one walked up the tunnels, pearing his flash light inside, “Hey, I think I see something…” a sound of... something came from the holes, almost like painful groans and moans. Then the young man's curious face turned into one of pure terror, “Wh-What in God's name is that!?!”


End file.
